Cassandra: a True Talent
by Karynakk
Summary: Cassandra is back! Her life as an immortal continues with her mate Jack at her side. But what will her future hold when the Volturi finds out about her strange talent? Be prepared for a surprise you never expected. Book 2 of my series.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Jack, what did you do?" I stared in disbelief as my fiancé walked hesitantly into the living room, his eyes bright red in color. It had been over a year since he last killed a human. I thought he was more or less unaffected by their aroma now. Apparently I was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Cassy," he groaned. "I couldn't help it! I was in the middle of hunting, and there was only deer around, but then those stupid hikers had to move upwind and-"

"Jack, _please_ don't blame the humans," I murmured, stroking his forehead. "You know they didn't think they were in danger. They would have been more careful if they did." He sighed.

"I know. I should have been more cautious. Maybe it's not such a good idea to let me hunt alone yet." We both laughed humorlessly.

"Were there any witnesses?" I asked quietly. After all, there were consequences on both sides if one of us slipped up.

"No," he said, shrinking into the couch. "I caught both of them." I suppressed a shudder. Humans may _smell _appetizing, but I couldn't imagine actually drinking their blood; it just seemed cruel. Well, not everyone had self control like Carlisle. Bella and I were the two exceptions.

"It's okay Jack," I crooned. "It won't happen again. You'll just have to have a hunting partner for a little while longer, that's all." He frowned.

"I wish _you_ would be my hunting partner," he hinted. "I'd hate to annoy Tanya and Kate." I shivered involuntarily.

"Sorry Jack. I will not be a part of any hunting trip. Blood isn't very appealing to me anymore."

"Come on! The world isn't going to fall apart if you hurt one animal…" The look on my face had him quickly backtracking. "Okay, well you don't actually have to hunt. Just keep an eye on me and make sure I don't do something stupid." I smiled slightly.

"I don't want to watch an animal die, either. It's almost as bad as killing them myself." He huffed.

I sat on his lap and touched his cheek, enjoying the mixture of emotions that lit his face. The more dominant one was desire.

"I already am your partner in one way," I reminded him, flexing the fingers on my left hand and making the ring sparkle in the moonlight. It was a small silver band with little diamond flowers lining the top- something only a vampire could create- and a speckle of rubies to enhance the beauty. He had given it to me less than a week ago.

"Now if only everyone else knew that," he joked, kissing my neck lightly. Yes, I had managed to keep it a secret so far; not even Tanya or Kate knew yet. I figured Alice had seen the proposal, and I was glad that she hadn't called to tell my sisters, but it was unavoidable that she would visit sometime soon. It was easier to keep my parents in the dark.

They would have strongly disapproved of my decision- after all, I was only a junior in high school- and I would be grounded for life, if I ever told them. I figured I'd wait a few years before telling them and actually having the wedding. Their sanity was just as important as mine. I only wore the ring to make Jack feel better; I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but it did make the secret more difficult to keep.

He kissed up to my jaw and made his way to my mouth. I kissed him back for a moment, then pulled away when I heard footsteps prancing towards the room.

Alice burst through the door.

"Congratulations!" she squealed, looking at Jack and me. I rolled my eyes, unphased, while Jack nearly fell off the couch. "And thank you, Cassy, thank you thank you!" He gave me a questioning look, but I just shook my head. I had already decided I wanted Alice to do the wedding, since she was, apparently, an expert, but I wasn't about to explain this now, where a bunch of eavesdropping vampires lived. Alice had other ideas.

"I'm designing your wedding," she said to him. Then, seeing my expression, added, "Everyone's out hunting now. You two are the only ones who know I'm here." I sighed in relief. "I don't understand why you have to wait so long, though! I mean, who wants a wedding in college? Bella got married right out of high school, and she survived." I laughed. Bella wasn't exactly cooperative at the time, from what I'd heard. "Okay, okay, bad example. The point is, her parents should have been furious, even worse than yours might be, but they weren't. And I can't see how yours will react because you're so set on keeping it a secret."

"I can't take the chance of changing my mind."

"You'll never know how they'll respond."

"Does that mean I won't slip up?" She shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes. She knew perfectly well that if she answered that, she would never get her way. Of course, her silence was all the answer I needed; no, I won't slip up. I grinned.

"Fine," she groaned," I'll wait, but we're going to look for dresses tomorrow."

Just then I heard three pairs of footsteps enter the house. I jumped up and headed for the door.

"Wait," Alice whispered. "Can we at least tell _them_? They won't tell your parents." I sighed and nodded, then went into the other room.

"Hey," I said, "guess who decided to visit." She came in right behind me, and Tanya and Kate were immediately at her side.

"Alice!"

"What are you doing here?"

"How long have you been here?"

"How is Edward doing?"

"Please, Tanya, stay on topic!" I laughed and went over to stand by Jack and Garrett.

"My brother is fine," Alice said, trying to hide a smile, "and I've only been here for a few minutes. I actually came here to congratulate Cassandra, and to tell you why, since she obviously wasn't going to." If I could have blushed, I would have.

"What do you mean?" Tanya asked, eyeing me carefully.

"Jack proposed!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

All eyes fell on me.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kate said excitedly. "This is great!"

"Well, I, uh, thought you'd disapprove," I admitted sheepishly. "I'm only a junior in high school."

"Technically, you're still a freshman," Tanya replied. "Edward is a junior."

"Exactly! Don't you think I'm too young?" Everyone exchanged glances.

"Um, Cassy, vampire emotions are much stronger than a human's. If you love Jack, it's unlikely you'll ever feel the same way about anyone else. Age shouldn't matter if you've found your true love." Kate stepped over to Garrett and led him into their bedroom as she was speaking, as if to emphasize her point. I grinned.

"Thanks," I said, heading for the front door. "Now if only my parents could agree with you."

"You haven't told them, have you?" Tanya gasped, walking with me. I shook my head. "Well, you'll have to tell them eventually, before college. That's probably the last time you'll be able to see them." Ouch. "Any time later is risky; they'll be bound to notice that you're not aging." I thought about this as we ran through the forest towards my house- I still had to live with my mom and dad- and up until we reached my bedroom window.

"I'll tell them at graduation," I decided, slipping into my room. "Now go! Jack needs to go home, too. Finals are today, and he shouldn't be late." She nodded and disappeared. I changed and went into the kitchen, where my parents were waiting.

"Good morning, sweetie," my mom greeted.

"Hey," I replied, sitting down. She gave me my usual bowl of fruit.

"So, are you ready for finals?" my dad asked, patting my hand. I shrugged. His fingers fell onto my engagement ring and he immediately pulled away to examine it. In a movement so fast I knew neither of my parents saw it, I switched it to my middle finger. I felt kind of guilty for moving it, but this was not a conversation I wanted to have right now. I would fix it later.

"Oh," he said, blinking. "I could have sworn… huh. I'm starting to see things. That's a very pretty ring, Cassandra. Where did you get it?" He looked at it suspiciously.

"I got it from a friend," I said innocently. A very close friend. "It was for a special occasion." It wasn't a lie; weddings _were_ usually considered special, and he gave it to me on his first vampire birthday.

My dad nodded. "I see," he murmured.

"What is it made of?" my mom cooed, examining the silver band.

"Just some sort of crystal." No need to tell her which crystal it was.

"Why haven't we seen it before?" she persisted. They were making it very hard to keep my secret while telling 'the truth' at the same time.

"I just got it last week."

"But then wouldn't you have worn it-"

"Oh, look at the time!" I said, jumping up from my chair and looking at my bare wrist. Smooth. "I need to go. Shouldn't be late today."

"Okay, honey," she said, kissing my forehead. I felt her shiver. My dad patted my back and I rushed- human speed- out the door, moving my ring back as I went.

Finals were actually pretty easy. Of course, it helped that I had a photographic memory now. Jack's grades had improved traumatically since his transformation, though he still refused to do his homework. Sigh.

After school was probably harder than school itself; shopping with Alice. Yippee. I suppose it wouldn't be that bad, except for the fact that I was a fifteen-year-old girl looking at wedding gowns in the middle of a very populated area. Awkward.

"Oh, come on!" Alice complained, pulling me into the store. "Nobody's going to lecture you or anything, and your parents aren't coming into town today. I checked." This made me a bit more willing, but I couldn't help but try to shrink into the background when people stared.

Finally, we picked one. It was a creamy white with a flowery pattern from the waist up, and it was strapless. The fabric rolled down my body from my hips all the way to the floor, accentuating all of my curves. Now even _more_ people were staring.

"Hey Cassy," Alice said, turning towards me. "What about this necklace…" She blinked. "Cassy?"

"What?" I mumbled, trying to ignore the shopkeeper's expression. Alice blinked again, and her eyes dimmed a bit.

"Strange," she mused, clipping the silver necklace around my throat. "I didn't know vampires could hallucinate."

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking at her. What had she seen?

"Never mind," she said, pulling the necklace off again. I sighed.

"Are you sure it was a hallucination? Could it have been a vision?"

"No, no." She gave me another pendant to try. "It wasn't something I saw; more like something I didn't see. You just… disappeared. I thought you had snuck away, but when I said your name, you were right in front of me again."

"Maybe it's just a side effect of the visions," I suggested.

"Maybe," she replied doubtfully. "Oh, that necklace looks perfect with your dress! Now we just need some earrings…" She stopped abruptly, her head snapping up and her eyes somewhere far away. She was having a real vision.

"What is it Alice?" I whispered. "What's wrong?" Was she shaking?

A long moment passed before her eyes refocused on me.

"We need to get to Tanya's house." Her voice was strained.

"Why? Alice, what did you see?"

"Word got out about your strange talent. The Volturi are interested. Cassy, you've been summoned to Italy."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

We went our separate ways as soon as the dress was purchased. Alice assured me that she would explain everything to Tanya and Kate and that I should go straight home to pack. Of course, I also had to explain to my parents _why _I was packing. Great.

I snuck through my bedroom window like I did every night and started throwing clothes in my suitcase at an inhuman speed. My parents' heartbeats were just five steps away, in the livingroom, and I considered leaving before they could realize I was here. But no, that would be wrong. I didn't know quite how dangerous this trip was, but I felt my parents deserved a proper good-bye, just in case.

After zipping up my bag, I crept back out the window and over to the front door; after all, it would probably scare them a little bit if I just walked in from my bedroom as if I had been there all day, instead of with Alice.

The door swung open easily and my parents got up from the couch to meet me.

"How was your shopping trip, honey?" my mom asked.

"It was fine," I said, shrugging.

"Where's Alice?"

"She went to Tanya's. Said it was some sort of emergency." I walked in casually, pretending not to hear her intake of breath.

"Is everything okay?" As if on cue, my cell phone rang. I sighed in relief; I had no idea how to continue this conversation.

"Hello?" I said into the speaker.

_"Cassy? It's Tanya. We have a plan. In about two seconds, say 'oh no, that's terrible!'"_

"Oh no, that's terrible!" I cried, turning towards the wall so my parents couldn't see my confused expression.

_"Good. Now say 'well, I'd have to ask them first.'"_

"Well, I'd have to ask them first," I replied nervously, glancing at my mom and dad meaningfully.

_"Okay, I can do the rest. Give the phone to your mom; she's more likely to say yes."_

"Um, she wants to talk to you," I mumbled, handing her the phone. What on Earth was Tanya doing?

"Yes?" Mom asked hesitantly.

_"Oh, Mrs. Llewellyn!" _I heard Tanya cry. It was such a pathetically sad voice that even I felt the need to help her.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

_"It's my uncle," _she whimpered. _"He's become terribly ill. The doctors are afraid he won't make it to the end of the week."_

"Oh, that is horrible!" I turned to hide my smile; it wasn't exactly appropriate with the story my mom was hearing, but she was using Jack's situation from freshman year.

_"Kate and I want to go to Italy and spend what time we have left with him, but we would really appreciate it if Cassy came too. We could really use the comfort." _ My mother paused, looking at me uncertainly. I opened my eyes wide and gave her my best pleading look. It worked even better now that I had inhuman charm.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," she acquiesced.

"_Oh, thank you, Mrs. Llewellyn! We're leaving at 9:00 tonight. Sorry it's such short notice, but something like this doesn't give us warning."_ I heard her sniffle.

"That's fine, sweetie," Mom sighed. "We'll see you then." She hung up the phone and looked at me sternly. I hoped my face looked innocent and calm.

"I hope you know to be careful," she warned.

"I know," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Nothing risky."

"Of course not."

"Don't talk to strangers."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Wear sunscreen."

"Only if I'm outside." I doubted the sun would harm me much, though.

"Use your seatbelt."

"Really mom? I'm not a kid anymore." She smiled and gave me a hug.

"Just one more thing, then," she cooed, combing her fingers through my hair. I raised an eyebrow. "Don't fall for any Italian boys while you're gone. It'll break Jack's heart." I laughed.

"Don't worry, mom. Jack and I are inseparable."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"What do you mean, he's not going?" I looked at both of my sisters wildly, waiting for an explanation.

"Sorry Cassy. Alice said it wouldn't work out well if he did." Kate looked sheepish. "Boys aren't exactly known for keeping the peace." I groaned. I was traveling half way across the world, facing my possible doom, and my fiancé was _staying here._ "If it makes you feel better, Garrett's staying too. After his reaction to them last time, they wouldn't be too thrilled to see him."

"Do I at least get to say good-bye?" A pained look passed over her face.

"No," she whispered. "Neither of us do. Alice saw that they wouldn't let us go, and we have to. If you don't go there, they'll come here. We certainly don't want that." I shuddered; no, I didn't want those creeps anywhere near my home.

"But… well, will they be able to control themselves? We won't be able to look after them." I was grasping at straws, and I knew it.

"Alice said she would bring them down to her family once we were gone. They'll have plenty of babysitters there. Now c'mon! We don't want to miss the plane." We ran out and got into a sleek black car of some kind. Tanya drove while Kate and I sat in back, quietly sinking into depression with each passing mile. Even through my own misery, I felt sorry for Kate; she was already married to Garrett, and their love was more… physical than mine and Jack's. She must have been even worse off than me.

Tanya seemed a bit sad as well, but in her own way. She was probably sad that she didn't have anyone to mourn for, that there was no one she could truly give her heart to. I hoped that would change, soon.

I wanted to call Jack as soon as we got to the airport, but Tanya convinced me to wait until we were on the plane. The time passed by slowly, but finally, we were in our seats.

"Hey Cass," Jack said, picking up on the first ring.

"Jack," I breathed, his voice filling me with relief.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately. "You sound… worried."

"Everything's fine," I assured. For now.

"Where are you? Alice said I should stay at home tonight, that you wouldn't be at Tanya's house." Jeez, Alice sure had a lot to say today; how many times had I heard that phrase?

"Um…" I hesitated, biting my lower lip. I didn't want him to worry, but I didn't want to lie to him either.

"Cassandra?" The tone of his voice had me practically crumbling in my seat. I couldn't lie to him.

"I'm at the airport," I confessed. "With Tanya and Kate. We have to go to the Volturi; they've summoned me to Italy." Silence on the other line. "Please don't be worried. I'll be fine. You're going to go with Alice and Garrett to go-"

"Garrett's not there?" he interrupted.

"No," I whimpered. I hated the frightened tint to his voice.

"I'm coming with you," he said abruptly.

"No! We're already on the plane. We'll be leaving in a few minutes. Promise me you'll be good for Alice, and don't kill any more humans." A pause.

"When will you be back?" His voice was trembling slightly.

"I don't know," I admitted, "but we told my parents I'd be back in a week."

"Fine. I'll give you a week. If you're not back by then, I'm coming after you." His tone was such that I couldn't disagree.

The first flight to Georgia took about seven hours, and I wished I could sleep to pass the time. Considering that was out of the question, I had to settle for talking with my sisters, or face my misery without Jack.

The next flight was considerably longer, but at least we had something to talk about now.

"What does Aro want?" I asked hesitantly.

"We can't know for sure," Tanya replied. "All we know is that he's interested in meeting you. Only Alice knows more than that, and she wouldn't tell us anything more than what we've told you."

"Why didn't she come with us?" She raised an eyebrow.

"The Cullens don't want to be involved with the Volturi again if they can help it, especially Alice. You know how much Aro wants her, and you know he'll do just about anything to get what he wants. It would not have been wise for her to join us." I sighed and nodded. Travelling to Volterra with almost no insight on the future was going to be… difficult.

"So what do we do?" I whispered.

"We go to Carmen and Eleazer. We need all the help we can get."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

We walked up to a homey-looking cottage just outside Volterra, up on a forested hill. I knew the location was probably for feeding convenience as well as spying, but I tried not to let it bother me. It was the perfect spot to watch the Volturi.

Before we could knock, the door was open and a smiling face was peering out at us. She had long black hair and bright golden eyes, and I immediately recognized her from the many pictures back home; this was Carmen, Eleazer's wife.

"Tanya, Kate, so good to see you! Who is this chica bonita?"

"This is Cassandra. Carmen, we need your help. The Volturi summoned her here because of her talent. We're not sure what they want from her, or how she could help them, and we thought Eleazer could give us some insight." With mention of the Volturi, the new vampire beckoned us inside, glancing around nervously.

"Eleazer will be back shortly. I think you should know that we've added another clan mate since we arrived here. He was on one of the 'castle tours' that Heidi leads, but somehow he managed to escape from the feeding frenzy, though of course he was bitten. Dios mio, that boy has been through too much this year! His talent is quite strange, too. If he went back to Volterra now, they'd never let him go."

"Why not?" Kate asked. "What does he do?" Before she could answer, we heard rapid footsteps coming towards the house.

The familiar face of Eleazer came bursting through the door, with a handsome stranger I had never seen before. Both their eyes widened as they took me in. I heard an intake of breath beside me and turned to find Tanya staring at the newborn. Her eyes sparkled with longing.

The man was actually quite cute, with curly brown hair that sprung from his head and strong muscles that stood out from under his tight sweater. Of course, my eyes were only for Jack, but I could understand her reaction.

"Carmen, who is our guest?" Eleazer asked, still staring at me.

"This is Cassandra. The Volturi summoned her here, and they were hoping for advice. Mi amor, what is wrong?" His gaze was locked with mine now, and he seemed at a loss for words.

"Look at her eyes, Carmen," he whispered. "Her gifts are just as rare as Marcello's, if not more so."

"Gift_s_? As in, with an S?" I asked in disbelief. His face turned wary.

"We will talk about this later," he promised. "But how did you change your eyes to such a color? Surely not with contacts."

"It's natural," I replied smugly. "Surely you would know about my diet."

"Yes," he mused, stroking his chin. Then, turning to Carmen. "She can live on the liquids in plants, and doesn't drink blood." His mate's eyes widened. Marcello's attention was now focused on Kate, though I wasn't sure why.

"Eleazer," he whined. His voice was like honey, smooth and syrupy, and I heard Tanya exhale for the first time in almost five minutes. It was almost a sigh.

"Oh, how rude of me! Tanya, Kate, Cassandra, this is Marcello. Marcello, these are our friends; they won't hurt you."

"But the shocker-"

"Is not going to harm you," Eleazer finished sternly.

"Wait, does he have the same talent as you?" Kate asked incredulously. He paused.

"Sort of." We waited for him to continue. "Marcello has the power to copy another's talent with a single touch. Since I am the only one near him with any out-of-the-ordinary skills, he's been mastering mine." He smiled proudly at the boy, who had now turned his head to Tanya. I knew she would be blushing, if it were possible.

"But yours," he continued, "yours is even rarer. One-of-a-kind, in fact. Of course, his is too, but he uses powers that others possess. Yours is beyond any category we've invented; his consists in all of them. I can see why Aro would be interested, to say the least. But you must be careful. Try not to give him any unnecessary information he could use against you." I nodded.

"Marcello?" Carmen asked. "Do you have any advice for them? You were the last to encounter the Volturi." He was now right in front of Tanya, gazing deep into her eyes.

"Oh, there is much advice I want to give her," he murmured, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. She giggled. "But, for the Volturi, there's not much I can say other than what Eleazer has already told you."

"Very well," Tanya whispered, leaning in closer. "Maybe you should tell me your other advice." I smiled and immediately blotted out their conversation from my mind.

"Eleazer, you said I could drink liquid from plants. Does that mean from _all_ plants?"

"Yes. Have you ever tried draining a tree?" he asked curiously. I shrugged. "Never really thought about it, I guess. I just use normal fruits and vegetables."

"Well, perhaps you should try it sometime. Who knows? Maybe your eyes will turn a different color for that, too. Maybe trees are the humans of the plant world." He chuckled slightly. While I didn't really like the wording of his inquiry, his idea had me intrigued. I would have to try it eventually.

"We shouldn't waste anymore time," Kate announced, looking around at all her friends. "Aro is expecting us."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

We made sure to cover every inch of our skin before we left for the city. The afternoon sun beat down on Volterra with a light that made it very difficult to be discrete, but we managed with the clothes we had. Well, as long as we kept our hands in our pockets.

Tanya was being quite difficult, insisting that she stay to watch over Carmen and Eleazer… and Marcello. I finally convinced her to come with me and Kate with my puppy-dog eyes and a slight guilt trip. I wasn't about to leave with just one family member if I had to meet Aro, and she was the most clear-headed of the three of us- Kate and I were lovesick.

We snuck through the side streets of the city, avoiding human contact and the sun at all costs. This was mostly my fault; I was nervous, and didn't want anything to go wrong before we even got to our destination. Steering clear of humans just seemed like a good idea; I wanted no one to see me.

We paused to check ourselves one last time before we went into the main square, where Jane, Felix, and Demetri were bound to be waiting. I glanced at a reflective window near me to see how much of my skin was showing. Then I did a double-take. My hood was down right now, but other than that I was completely covered. If my head wasn't hidden, though, why couldn't I see it?

I blinked a few times and looked back into the glass. My normal reflection was staring back at me. I pulled up my hood and hurried back over to Tanya and Kate.

"Um, Tanya, vampires can see their reflections just like humans, right?"

"Of course," she replied, looking at me strangely. "You know that whole ne-reflection thing is a myth." I nodded.

"Just making sure," I mumbled, tugging at my sleeves.

We hurried across the square at a normal human speed, ducking our heads to avoid the sunlight. As I predicted, there were three vampire scents wafting over to us from the alley beyond, where three cloaked figures waited. I wanted to shrink back into the shadows we came from now more than ever, but I knew this encounter would happen eventually. Might as well get it over with.

"The Denali sisters," the smallest one said unemotionally. "Well, what's left of them." The figure smiled sweetly as Tanya and Kate hissed. I almost responded the same way myself- she had no right to treat my family like that- but I resisted; getting on Jane's bad side was the last thing I wanted to do. Besides, a little voice in the back of my head reasoned that she _wanted_ us to act that way, and it would irritate her more if our response was the opposite of what she wanted. So, I gave her a big, bright smile.

Her eyes dulled a bit when she looked at me, and I had to hold my breath to keep from laughing at her obvious disappointment.

"And this must be the plant-eater," she continued dryly. "Aro is waiting. Follow me." We glided farther into the alley, the only sound the rustling of fabric on skin and padding of feet as we made our way further into the darkness. We soon reached the dead end, but our guide didn't hesitate as she strode towards the wall, jumping down into a large drain just in front of it. Tanya followed after her, then me, then Kate and the guards. No backing out now.

We twisted and turned through the corridors, making our way ever deeper into the compound until finally, we were there. The room was very large, with a marble floor and creamy white walls painted with perfectly detailed inscriptions and patterns. The ceiling was a bright sky blue with little cupids flitting around an enormous skylight, which brightened the room impossibly and giving it a strange peacefulness. How ironic.

There was a raised platform at the far wall, with three large wooden chairs lining the front; thrones, and they were currently in use.

"Jane, you've returned!" Aro said joyously, beckoning her over to kiss her cheeks.

"Yes, master," she replied sweetly. "I brought the others, just as you asked." He looked up from her face and gave us a bright- and slightly menacing- smile.

"Wonderful!" he cried, standing slowly and moving toward us. "Simply wonderful." He eyed my company rather sadly. "It is truly an honor to see you and Katrina again, Tanya. I do apologize for Caius's actions… the last time we met. I hope there are no hard feelings."

"Of course not," Tanya replied, her tone sweet and syrupy and completely fake. "We could never stay mad at you, Aro."

"Excellent!" he said, signaling for the guards to close the doors behind us. Then he turned to face me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Cassandra Llewellyn," he mused, looking me over. I was frozen solid. "I have heard many things about you this past year. I can see by your eyes that you are certainly different, but I would like to see just how true the rumors are." He held out his hand and beckoned me forward. I managed to unthaw enough to step hesitantly toward him and placed my palm in his. He bent his head, his eyes closed as every thought I'd ever had drifted before his eyes. I wondered if he could see my human thoughts as well.

A long silence stirred in the air as everyone watched the two of us. It was unnerving, having everyone's attention like that. The urge to shrink into the shadows returned, but I knew it would be a bad idea to even flinch right now.

"So tragic," Aro sighed, finally letting go. I stayed where I was, staring at him cautiously. What was tragic? "You're human life, cut short with one little mishap." Well, it wasn't exactly _little_. The next time a truck that size ran into me, it was the one that was going to be crushed. "How wonderful that your talent turned out how it did, Cassandra. You seem quite… happy with your life now." He couldn't completely hide the disgust in his voice as he talked about my diet making me happy.

"Yes, I never would have lasted this long, had I had any other," I agreed. "We would have met quite some time ago if I did." He knew I wasn't joking.

"What a waste that would have been." He strolled casually back over to his body guards and sat down in his throne.

"Alright, Aro," Tanya practically growled. "You've gotten your wish; Cassy came to meet you. Now if you'll excuse us, we don't want to keep our families in a state of panic." She turned and took a step towards the door. Felix and Demetri were immediately blocking her path.

"Oh, why leave so soon?" Aro purred and evil twinkle in his eye. "You have a whole week to yourselves here in Italy. Surely you can spare a few extra minutes with us." Stupid mind-reading know-it-all.

My sister turned slowly back to face him, her back ramrod straight. "Very well," she said through clenched teeth. "I suppose a few minutes won't hurt." Kate went to her side, trying to calm her down. It was a good thing Kate was the calm one; a whole war could start if she got charged up, and I knew she'd be more than happy to give Jane a taste of her own medicine.

"A very rare talent indeed," Aro continued, looking at me again, "and a friend of the Cullens, no doubt. She may be a marvelous addition to our little family, don't you think Jane?" Jane smiled in agreement and watched me expectantly. Well, the answer in my head was clear enough. NO! But I couldn't quite form the word on my lips, I was so stunned.

There was a shuffle of movement behind me, and I glanced back to see Tanya and Kate pinned to the ground. Of course, Felix couldn't hold Kate for long.

"Don't do it!" she screeched, lunging towards me. She froze hardly a foot from my body and dropped to the floor, writhing in pain.

"Let her go," I said calmly, panic clouding my mind. How could I sound so at ease?

"Tell Katrina to behave," Aro replied just as smoothly. I stepped over and helped her up, holding her steady as well as restraining her. She wouldn't shock me.

"What do you say?" he asked innocently. "Would you like to be one of us?"

"Thank you, but I'd rather-" my voice cut off as the strangest sensation trailed over my body. I shook my head, trying to clear it, and glanced back up at him. His smile widened.

What was I saying? What had he asked? Did I want to join him? I blinked in confusion. Why wouldn't I want to? This place was so homey, and I felt as if I belonged with these strange red-eyed people.

"No!" Tanya cried. "No, Cassy, you can't! Stay with us! Come back home, to Alaska, to your family, to-"

"And of course her sisters can join her," Aro interrupted, patting a female vampire's hand. My companion's pleas quieted. "Do we have a deal?" I looked back at my sisters; they seemed as confused as I felt. Where did I live? Why would I want to go back to Alaska? There were no opportunities there. Everything I needed and more was here.

But then, didn't I have family somewhere else? Were these two my only relatives? I felt like I fit in, but my eyes were so drastically different from everyone else's.

As I thought about these negatives, the pull toward Aro just got stronger. I couldn't leave! It made perfect sense to stay here, to enforce the law. No rule-breaker should go unpunished.

I looked back up at my new vampire friend; I had kept him waiting for far too long. I intended to answer for all of us.

"Yes master."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Okay, so maybe life in Italy wasn't all it's cracked up to be. I know everyone has their differences and all, but I'm even more different than the rest. I mean, am I the only one who has the guts to say no to Aro? He wanted me to work with Heidi, since my eye color was natural, but I didn't want to trick humans to their deaths. Which led to another difference: my diet. Every time the humans came in for feeding time, I held back. They smelled delicious, but a tiny voice in the back of my head said 'this is wrong.' Aro had discouraged this from the very beginning, but he couldn't talk me out of it, so I went up to the local market every few weeks to get my own food. And that just increased his reasoning for me to work with Heidi.

I ended up earning a cloak as dark as Jane's. My new job was to go with her on those special 'keep the secret' missions. My very first assignment was to find a coven just outside the city that was too close for comfort. When we got to the little house on top of the hill, however, the three were long gone, leaving no clue as to where they went. The cottage itself was familiar, though.

So, my occupation was a bit slow right now, but that meant I got a lot of free time. When I was feeling social, I would usually hang out with Kate, Tanya, and Chelsea, who had latched onto our little group almost immediately. They were the only ones who could convince me not to go off on my own.

Of course, a lot of the time I didn't feel very social, so I just hung out around my quarters, looking through my clothes and flipping through books. I couldn't explain it, but I felt as if I were hollow, like my heart was missing. I craved that other part of me even more than the human blood I resisted every week. Kate felt it too; we both just wanted to be alone in our rooms, but she seemed depressed, in every sense of the word. If only I could help her.

I was laying on my back, thinking about this, when there was a knock at my door.

"Aro wants to see you," Chelsea said from outside. I groaned. No doubt he had heard of my latest escape plan. Seeing him for a lecture was the last thing I wanted to do.

I leaned against my elbows, basking in my last seconds of alone time, before getting up and heading for the door. As I walked, I passed my full-length mirror. Then I did a double take. My reflection was gone again! While it had just been my skin before, now there was nothing but an empty room looking back at me. I appreciated the allusion, but I would have to be seen if I wanted to live through the day unharmed- master didn't like it when we disobeyed orders. As soon as this thought crossed my mind, I reappeared in the glass, and I smiled half-heartedly before leaving for the throne room.

When I got there, Aro and his body guards were the only ones in the open space. Caius and Marcus were nowhere to be found, and neither were Jane and Alec.

"Yes master?" I asked politely, looking around the room from the corners of my eyes. Where was everybody?

"Cassandra," he said, standing up. "We have had a few uninvited guests in Volterra these past few days, and they claim to know you. I was wondering if you could return the sentiment?" Before I could ask who he was talking about, the door burst open as Felix, Demetri, and two others dragged four vampires into the room, quickly followed by Jane. One of them was a woman, who seemed to be terrified, and the others were men, all jerking around violently in an attempt to get free.

Their eyes confused me; they weren't blue like mine, but they weren't red, either. Three of them had bright golden eyes, and the color was eerily familiar. One of them had dark orange irises, as if he had been on the normal diet but decided to switch to the other's. He looked up at me as if sensing my gaze.

"Cassy," he breathed, going limp in Demetri's grasp. I took an unconscious step forward. Only Tanya and Kate called me that; how could this stranger already know my nickname?

The cowering girl looked up and smiled weakly when our gazes met. Even the other men stopped struggling momentarily to look at me. They all seemed to know me, and I had a sense of déjà vû, but I didn't know their names, and I didn't think I'd ever met them before. Who were these strange people?

"Well?" Aro asked, raising an eyebrow at me. "Are they familiar to you?" I hesitated.

"Yes," I replied slowly. "They are familiar, but I don't think I actually _know_ them." A strange sound ripped from the orange-eyed's throat and he wrenched free of Demetri in a sudden frenzy.

"You have to remember me Cassy!" he pleaded, stepping towards me. "You know all of us! Edward, Bella, Garret, me, you _know_ us!" He was hardly a foot away from me now. I was comforted by his presence, yet it was unnerving to be standing next to someone so strange. He reached his hand out as if to grab my shoulder, but then crumpled to the floor, a look of sheer terror on his face; Jane.

"No!" I shouted, startling even myself. I knew everyone was probably staring at me now, but for once I didn't care. I had to help this stranger.

I knelt down next to him and purposefully moved my body to block him from my co-worker's gaze. He shuddered and opened his eyes.

"You have to believe me," he whispered. "You know me."

"What is your name?" I asked doubtfully.

"Jack." And the memories overwhelmed me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

My fiancé. My mate. I had been on the other end of the world from my mate, and I hadn't even realized it! I felt like an idiot. No wonder I was so empty, so anti-social! Half of my being wasn't even with me! And Garrett, Kate's mate. She was even worse than me sometimes, because they were even closer than Jack and I! I had to get my sisters, make them wake up from this nightmare. We hated the Volturi! Why on Earth were we working for them? I had been friends with Chelsea, with Jane to an extent! I had tried to arrest Carmen, Eleazer, and Marcello because they 'lived too close to us.' Aro just wanted Marcello's talent for himself!

My mate's eyes lit up as he watched the look on my face change from doubt to recognition. I picked him up off the floor very carefully and turned to face Aro.

"Yes, I do know these vampires," I said calmly, "and I'd like to return home with them if you don't mind, along with Tanya and Kate." He sighed dramatically.

"Very well," he said, "but you must stay here until the sun goes down." Just then the door opened and Chelsea walked in.

_CHELSEA!_

He was going to try to make us ALL work for him! Well of course he should know that wouldn't work, not with Bella here, but he would never give up. Of course, he and Chelsea weren't the only ones trying to get through her shield.

Jane glared at my friend through glowing red slits, obviously trying to make her fall. She seemed frustrated when it didn't work. Again. Then her face smoothed over and she grinned angelically. Edward growled, but I paid no attention to him; Jane was now looking at me.

Well, I wasn't having that.

The urge to fade into the background was immediate, and this time there was no reason to deny it. I didn't need to be seen right now, nor did I want to be. Feeling the burn of transformation wasn't exactly something I wanted to go through again, either. I'd have to let my survival instinct guide me, and everyone else, away from these lunatics.

She blinked in surprise, her smile fading.

"Master?" she asked, still staring at me. I looked around in confusion. Everyone was still staring at me; nothing had changed. So why wasn't I writhing on the floor?

"Incredible," Aro breathed. Then, a bit louder. "Tell me, Cassandra, are you still in the room?" What kind of a question was that? He was staring right at me, speaking directly to me, asking if I was in the room! I certainly didn't want to be.

I didn't answer for two reasons: 1) the question was absurd. 2) that little voice in the back of my head thought it could be dangerous if I spoke out now, if he truly couldn't see me. But why couldn't he see me?

I was reminded of my little hallucinations. That first day I came here, when my skin was no longer visible for that split-second. I had only wanted my skin to hide; I didn't want humans to see through my disguise. Just before I got to this room, when I was afraid to go to Aro. Even before this whole mess started, when Alice and I were shopping. Every time I had that urge to fade into the background, was it possible that I actually did? When there was nothing to stop me, could I turn invisible?

Did I have _two_ talents?

I looked down at my hands. I could still see them, but it was as if they were faded at the edges, like they were just a figment of my imagination. I would have to trust that I was the only one who could see that.

"Well, Aro," Edward mused, "it appears your vegetarian can also teleport. Who knows where she could have gone?"

"Demetri," Aro ordered, "can you find the girl?" Demetri looked around helplessly.

"I'm not sure, master," he admitted, breathing in deeply. "Her scent is… gone. There's nothing there. Even her energy is gone. She may as well have fallen off the face of the Earth." Ineresting. My body wasn't the only thing that disappeared. But were my thoughts still audible? Could Edward hear me right now?

I turned to look at him and saw his head nod the teeniest bit. Yes, I was glad I had kept my mouth shut; noises were out of the question if someone could still hear my _thoughts._

"We need to find her," Aro said. Then, turning to my friends. "You are welcome to help search, but you may pass time in the lobby if you wish."

"Thank you," Edward replied. "We will find Tanya and Katrina and prepare them for our flight home." The four guard members departed to go search for me, and Edward led Bella, Garrett, and Jack out towards the Denali's quarters, with me right on their heels.

When we were out of earshot, Edward stopped and looked around.

"Okay, Cassandra," he said quietly. "It's safe to come out of hiding. No one is looking for you here." He got plenty of strange looks.

"I don't want to," I admitted. Everyone nearly jumped out of their skin. I hadn't made a sound since Jane looked at me, and I forgot everyone else thought I had teleported.

"We need you to help… get through to Tanya and Kate," he replied. "They probably won't remember us, thanks to Chelsea." I hesitated.

"Why doesn't Bella just use her shield?" I asked. "Why didn't she use it on me?" She smiled.

"I'm only here as a precaution," she explained. "In case Jack couldn't snap you out of it. And so Tanya will come back with us. We thought maybe Edward could get her to come to, but we're not sure. There's nothing as powerful as the bond between mates, and even Jack had problems with you." She looked at Edward for a moment, her expression unreadable.

I remembered Marcello from the cottage, and how he acted with Tanya. I didn't think Edward would work on her anymore; she found someone single and eager. So it was up to Bella and me.

"Fine," I sighed, letting go of my will to hide. Everyone's heads turned as I returned to their line of vision. "But if I so much as smell one of the Volturi, I'm disappearing again." Jack smiled and took my hand, meddling with my wedding ring.

"You left this on," he murmured, stroking my fingers. I shivered happily. It had been so long since we'd seen each other. I couldn't believe how good it felt to have him close again.

"It never really occurred to me that I could take it off," I said sheepishly. "It felt like it was attached almost, like it was a part of me. I'm glad I kept it though."

"Me too." He looked up into my eyes, and I could see the desire raging there. I was sure I looked exactly the same way.

By now we had reached my friends' rooms, luckily without another vampire in sight. Garrett knocked on the first door tentatively, his eyes wild with excitement. Kate opened the door, stared at him for a moment, blinked, and tackled him to the ground, covering his face in kisses. Well, that was easy.

Now on to Tanya.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

I stepped into Tanya's room cautiously, followed by Bella, and looked around. My friend was sitting on her couch, looking through a magazine. She looked up at our approach.

"Hey Cassy!" she said, glancing at Bella. "Who's this? Another picky eater I see." Yes, I was sorry to say my sisters had gone to the dark side; her bright red eyes nearly glowed after every feeding.

"Sort of," I laughed, sitting next to my friend. "This is Bella." I paused. "You know her as well as I do." Tanya raised an eyebrow.

"That's hard to believe," she replied. "I think I would remember such strange eyes."

"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you," I muttered. "Tanya, this is really hard to explain, but your eyes used to be that color too, remember?" She glanced curiously at Bella.

"Yes, I do remember that, but it was so strange. Aro wanted us to be normal; you were the only one who refused."

"And I'm very glad I did," I replied. "Tanya, you never wanted to work here! You hate the Volturi!"

"How can you say that?" She demanded, standing up. "This is my home, my life! I haven't known anything else. Aro saved me!"

"No, he didn't. You only think that because of Chelsea. She messes up relationships, Tanya! You had a life, much better than this one, and you can have it again. Just come with us." I looked at Bella meaningfully. A look of concentration took over her face as her shield expanded. "She made you forget your friends, made you forget your life! Tanya, did you know that you used to have another sister? Irina? The Volturi killed her! You might have fallen in love a week ago, before we came here, and the Volturi tried to steal him away! You can't possibly want to work for that?" She blinked a few times and shook her head in frustration. It was like she was trying to fight off the shield, and my words, but she was losing. Every time she looked at me, I could see the familiarity and unguarded rage there, along with the denile that Aro wasn't bad, and never would be. That emotion disappeared quickly.

"We need to leave, Cassy," she growled, clenching her fists.

"We have to wait until nightfall."

"I don't think I can wait that long." Her voice seemed like a mixture between a roar and a groan. Her face was twisted in anger. "If we stay here any longer than what is absolutely necessary, I may end up hunting down our precious master and-"

"Okay, pack your things," I ordered, not wanting her to finish that thought. I knew all too well that she wasn't joking. She rushed around the room for a few seconds, shoving clothes into her suitcase, and stopped just outside the door. Everyone else was ready and waiting.

"Let's go," she said.

I led everyone around the side corridors, flinching into another hallway every time I heard a sound. Edward found this quite irritating; he said he would tell me if someone was coming, but I didn't want to take chances, and I wasn't exactly in a trusting mood.

We were very nearly to the drainage entrance I had used a week ago when we heard the voices. There were only two, but they were the ones we least wanted to hear: Jane and Demetri. No doubt Demetri had caught my scent as soon as I fazed back into the real world, but he was so discombobulated by my disappearance that it had taken him this long to find us. Jane was probably just there to act like the snitch she was.

I grasped Jack's hand, trying not to panic, and stepped back against the wall. I felt my instinct take over as I blended into the background, and everyone watched in fascination.

"Interesting," Edward whispered. "Direct contact must cause your talent to expand. We can't see Jack, either, Cassandra." A slow smile spread across my face and I grabbed Bella's shoulder. She jumped as I came into her line of vision. Obviously the invisibles could still see each other.

We all grabbed hold of each other and snuck along the wall, my talent and Bella's now protecting us from harm. Our two followers were walking blingly in the other direction.

We finally made it out into the alley of the city and ran for the exit. Of course, the quickest way out was through the bright, sun-filled town square. Luckily, not many humans were around, but we would have to trust that my talent worked in the sun.

We rushed silently across the expanse, not attracting a single eye.

Even when we were outside the city, we didn't stop. We ran straight to the airport, with only one stop along the way (Edward said we had to send a note back to Aro, for safety reasons). I finally let my guard down just outside the building, but nobody relaxed until we were on the place, on our way back home.

What a crazy day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

We were greeted by the entire Cullen clan when we reached Alaska. Alice was quite excited to hear about my new power, and to tell us that Marcello and company were at the house awaiting our return. She gave Tanya a very sly look.

She also said that we wouldn't get any trouble from the Volturi for a while; they had a lot of planning to do if they were going to catch something they couldn't see. Besides, they knew we were untouchable, what with the 'shapeshifters' and all.

We said our good-byes rather quickly as well, anxious to get home. Kate and Garrett seemed particularly impatient… Not exactly something I wanted to think about. Well, Tanya was eager to meet Marcello again and Jack said he had a surprise for me, so I couldn't argue with their haste.

Carmen and Eleazer were overjoyed to see us, and Marcello picked Tanya right up off the ground to kiss her- he had recently acquired Edward's gift. Jack laughed and led me out through the woods, until we reached a small cliff. There was a large blanket spread out across the grass ad a picnic basket set off to the side. Candles lit up the scene, though tey were unnecessary with my eyesight.

"Welcome home," he whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Where did this come from?" I asked, grinning as his lips brushed my bare shoulder.

"I just about went crazy with worry when you didn't come back on time. I had picked this spot out to show you when you got home, but you never did. Alice set this up as soon as she could see we were safe." He led me over to the little setup and watched me as I sucked the fruit dry. It was silent for a long time.

"She set up a few other things too," he went on hesitantly, "while you were gone." I wasn't sure I liked the tone of his voice.

"Like what?" I questioned.

"Well, um, how would you feel about having the wedding next week, instead of next year?" My eyes widened.

"What? No! I mean, don't get me wrong Jack, I love you, but I need to prepare! What will the theme be? What flowers will I use? Where will we set it up? And, oh, my _parents!_..."

"Cassy, calm down," he soothed, stroking my arm. "Alice has seen everything. She'll take care of it. And don't worry about your parents; I sort of already told them." I felt my mouth drop open. "Don't get mad," he added quickly. "Like I said, I nearly went crazy while you were gone. You are going to have a few questions when you get home, but they promised not to yell." I gulped.

"How did they take it?" I whispered, tracing the back of his hand with my finger.

"It could have been worse," he said, shrugging. "Your mom's in denial until you tell her yourself. Your dad got pretty mad. He yelled. And banned me from your house. And threw a plastic vase at my head on the way out. You may have to talk to him about that. I know I'd want _my_ spouse allowed in my home, but that's just me." I smiled weakly.

"Poor Jackie," I teased. "Did the plastic hurt you?" He rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't even have noticed if it weren't for the funny sound it made when it shattered." I laughed. I was going to make another sarcastic comment, but I lost all train of thought when his lips pressed against my wrist, making their way up my arm to my shoulder, then my neck. I shivered with overwhelming desire. Most of the night went on like that, making up for lost time. I knew I was going to be in big trouble when I got home, but I just couldn't bring myself to care under the circumstances.

I was safe with the man I love, and that was all that mattered now. All that mattered ever.


End file.
